Direction finding



1933. H. G. BUSIGNIES DIRECTION FINDING Filed Feb. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

INVENTOR HENRI G. BUSIGNIES M FIGB 13 5 IBO ATTOR NEY Dec. 26, 1933. H. G. BUSIGNIES DIRECTION FINDING Filed Feb. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

INVENTOR HENRI G. BUSIGNIES BY M ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1933 teaser DIREGTION FINDING Henri G. Busignies, Paris, France, assignor to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N. iL, a corporation of Delaware Application February 12, 1931, Serial No. 515,240, and in Great Britain March 28,1930

'1 @laim.

This invention relates to improvements in radiogoniorneters and the like.

It is well known that masses of conductive matter in the vicinity of radiogoniometer equip- Y ment cause errors in the directional indications ill which are such expedients as arranging an aux iliary coil or frame aerial or a wire screen in the vicinity of the main frame aerial, or employing a cam whose shape depends upon the variations of the electromagnetic field; the cam is driven by the shaft carrying the frame aerial and is adapted to drive an indicating dial in such a manner that a corrected reading is obtained.

According to the present invention, quadrantal error is substantially eliminated by employing a direction finding equipment comprising a rotatable frame aerial associated with compensating means such as metal plates or grids adjustably mounted on a non-metallic casing around the frame aerial the electromagnetic field around the frame aerial being thereby rendered con stant.

A feature of the invention resides in the association of such a compensated frame aerial with an open antenna. 7

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, I

Figure 1 of which shows curves quadrantal error,

Figure 2 shows in plan and elevation a ship provided with compensated direction finding equipment according to the invention,

Figure 3 shows a curve which will be employed in explaining the invention,

Figure 4 shows in perspective a frame aerial and its associated equipment.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the two curves show how quadrantal error varies according to the position of a frame aerial, the ordinates being directional error in degrees and abscissa degrees representing of revolution of the frame aerial. The full line curve shows quadrantal error for a frame in one position on'the ship, while the broken line shows how the error changes-if the aerial is moved to another part of the ship. 'It will be seen that. the curves of quadrantal error are of substantially sinusoidal form and that the maximum error may be as much as 19.5 degrees at 45, 135, 225 and 315 to the axis of'the ship. Generally, however, the maximum error does not exceed 10 if the frame aerial is far enough from the deck.

Figure 2 shows schematically a ship provided with compensated directionj finding equipment according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. In this figure, C represents a frame aerial and P1, P2 are metal plates which may conveniently be symmetrically arranged with regard to the axis of the ship. I

A suggested explanation of the manner in which the plates P1, P2 function to overcome Z5 quadrantal error is that the electromagnetic field of the received wave, in traversing the plates, produces induced currents therein, whereby a second magnetic field is produced, opposing the magnetic field set up by the received wave.

In order that errors individual to a certain ship may be readily compensated, a curve such as that shown in Fig. 3 may be plotted, the readings being taken with the compensating plates removed from the-vicinity of the frame aerial. As will be more fully explained hereinafter the I deviationof the maximum error from 45 (shown as distance E in Fig.2) is-then corrected by movingthe plates around their individual axes, and the effective area of plates is adjusted according to the magnitude (I-I, Fig. 3) of the error.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated'in Fig. 4. A rotatable frame aerial C is accommodated in a protecting casing T. It

is convenient to make this casing of an insulating and/ or weatherproof substance. On the outside of the casing, brackets b, 171,172, 172 are. provided for supporting spindles A1 and A2 which carry metal plates P1, P1 and P2, P2 The effective area of the plates may be adjusted by sliding them apart along the spindles or 001- lap-sing them one within another; screws EHEl, E2, E2 are provided to enable the plates to be fixed in any desired positions, while graduations G enable a record of the positions to be made.

The position of the plates relative to the axis of the ship may be adjusted by loosening screws Eb, E 12, and turning the plates and spindles, this being done in accordance with the deviation E of Fig. 3.

It. will generally be necessary to take a further set of readings with the plates adjusted as de-- scribed to ascertain whether the adjustments have actually caused the quadrantal error to be compensated. a

A compensated frame aerial according to the invention may be employed in conjunction with an open antenna; The use of a compensated frame aerial in this manner enables the 180 error of an open antenna to be obviated. 

